Roger Knox - Vernon Morning Star Published: June 25, 2009 6:00 PM
Vernon’s north end entrance could be spruced up. Vernon council has thrown its support behind a Communities in Bloom initiative that would look at beautifying the entrance to town from the Swan Lake end. “The initiative would bring it back forward through the City of Vernon, (Regional District Electoral) areas B and C, to turn the water back on and work with other stakeholders to beautify the area,” said Vernon Coun. Mary-Jo O’Keefe. “For quite a few years, people have expressed concern about the north end entrance.” O’Keefe explained that water to the meridian on Highway 97, which housed a number of plants, was turned off and the plants were allowed to die. Swan Lake Nurseryland, located right at the north end, and who is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, submitted a one-page proposal to Vernon council for landscaping the median between the weigh scale south to Stickle Road. The proposal, which would include irrigation, shrubs and trees, is estimated at $57,500, along with another $61,000 for finishing the trip along Highway 97 for a total project cost of $118,500 plus taxes.
Swan Lake Nurseryland would donate more than $15,000 in labour. The plan includes planting north of the weigh scale, cleaning up cement immediately south of the scales, and cleaning up the strip south of Stickle Road. While in favour of the project, Coun. Shaun Lee was among a couple of councillors who expressed concern about the maintenance of the strip when completed. “It’s easy to plan and landscape the area, the problem is maintaining it,” said Lee. “It’s been neglected in the past.” Coun. Buffy Baumbrough and O’Keefe said the local Rotary clubs had expressed interest in signing an agreement to look after the maintenance of the strip. If approved, work on the project would likely begin in late summer or early fall.
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